Based on the analysis by Knight (2008), postmodern thought is good regarding its effects on education. One of the main benefits of postmodern thought is that it has led to a paradigm shift in the whole education system as well as methods. Proponents of postmodern education argue that there is nothing like objective truth. At the same time, they maintain it is essential to listen to the thought and ideas of everybody in the education sector. Thus, postmodern thought asserts that knowledge should not only come from teachers but students as well. One of the main benefits of post-modern thought, therefore, is that it enhances creativity in schools as students are also required to produce their knowledge. In the modernist era, students were viewed as empty and had nothing to contribute to the development of knowledge. However, the perception is not true because learners can also contribute useful ideas and thoughts in the classroom. One of the major positive impacts of post-modern thought is that it leads to creativity and innovation that are required to address emerging challenges and issues.
Also, postmodern thought is good for education because it encourages people to adapt to their new environment. Change is inevitable, and knowledge is also dynamic because human beings construct it and it evolves with human exposure. As a result, post-modern thought is beneficial because it ensures that the education system is dynamic and responds to emerging changes in society (Knight, 2008). Post-modern thought should be embraced to make education system useful and relevant to the current and future generation.
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Positive Contributions and Problems with Postmodern Theories
Knight (2008) presents four main schools of thought or theories that are explained by postmodern theorists. The first postmodern theory was developed by Richard Rorty who argues that both language and thought are tools of coping but they do not result in the picture of reality. One of the main contributions of this school of thought is that it encourages people to continue learning and exploring to get in-depth information. At the same time, it creates an opportunity for people to engage in meaningful discussion despite them having a divergent opinion. However, the theory may make people ignore the truth, resulting in endless debate or discussion. The second theory was developed by Jacque Derrida, which mainly criticizes the logocentrism as portrayed by western societies. The main argument in the theory is that people get the meaning of information based on their experience, leading to subjectivity. The positive contribution of Derrida’s theory is the increased need for the people to search for the objective reality, especially by deconstructing texts. However, like the case of Rorty's theory, the argument by Didda can make people ignore the truth.
Michel Foucault developed the third school of thought. Foucault argues that knowledge is socially constructed by people who want to maintain the status quo ( Knight, 2008) . Also, his school of thought maintains that knowledge is used by rulers to control the subjects. The main positive contribution of the theory is that it motivates people to search for the truth contained in the knowledge. However, it does not believe that knowledge can be used positively. The theory by Lyotard is also based on the assumption that knowledge is used to control people. Although the assumption can result in more research on a given body of knowledge, knowledge has a lot of positive effects on the individual and society.
Democratic Classroom
I do not believe that attaining a democratic classroom is possible, especially based on the nature of the education system. Even though schools may desire to have a democratic classroom, this is not possible because students cannot be granted absolute freedom and responsibility. In addition, modern classrooms are highly diverse, making it impossible to create a democratic classroom. The current social culture where a given race is perceived to be superior to others makes undemocratic practices in classrooms inevitable ( Koonce, 2018) . At the same time, education policies are made by politicians whose main interest is to serve their constituents. I have experienced a situation where black students are mistreated in a classroom. A democratic classroom can only be attained when people truly embrace diversity.
Freedom of Speech
The recent case law explained by Koonce (2018) that students' freedom of speech has been expanded while at the same time limited by modern digital communication technologies. On the one hand, students now have the freedom to freely express their opinions on any issue that affects them as protected by the First Amendment. On the other hand, freedom of speech is limited by technology because students cannot share some issues on social media, especially when they directly affect individuals. Thus, technology has limited the freedom of expression, even though people have new ways of sharing information to a large number of people ( Joyce, 2015) . I foresee a situation where why my education setting will be having a lot of problems with students who share certain information on social media. Technology will enhance conflict between schools and students, particularly concerning freedom of speech and expression.
References
Joyce, D. (2015). Internet Freedom and Human Rights. European Journal of International Law , 26 (2).
Knight, G. R. (2008). Issues and alternatives in educational philosophy ( 4 th Ed .) . Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press.
Koonce, G.L. (Ed). (2018). Taking sides: clashing views on educational issues expanded (19 th Ed.). Maryland: McGraw Hill Publishers.
